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Group vs Private lesson

 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Hi all! Leave on Sat am for Val Thorens and just had an email from my ski school saying that no other adults have booked onto the "small group" session I have and so my option is either to cancel and get a refund, or take 2x2hrs of private instruction.

I'm a beginner, done lessons at Hillend and currently in that inbetween stage of being able to do a plough-parallel turn but not quite fully parallel and 100% not at the snow plough stage any more. What is the general consensus with private lessons for someone at this level? Should i take them and hopefully get some tailored advice and support to get to parallel or am i better taking my refund and seeing if i can get into another group lesson that runs daily?
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
I would take the private lesson
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 Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
I'm going the other way and would say group lessons. Private lessons have a place, but at that stage, if you only have 4 hours of lessons in a week you could pick up bad habits.

Also, you can make a group lesson like a small group by being annoying and always getting to the front of the snake.
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If there is any other ski school, that offer group lessons with reduced numbers (8 or 9 at the very most)* - that would be my advice to you, as a Beginner.

*If they are not guaranteeing small classes - they may be able to tell you how many are currently booked, which might be a small number.
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Yes I agree with @Timmycb5 and @Old Fartbag - at the stage you're at, a week of group lessons would be more beneficial, more fun and less pressure than the private lessons. But make sure you can secure them before cancelling the existing commitment. Private lessons would be better than no lessons at all.
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I agree - group lessons are generally better for beginners. A group of 6 - 8 is ideal but I have had successful outcomes with groups of 12. I would check all your options wit all the ski schools.

Failing that it would be worthwhile thinking about upping the budget to include more private sessions. You will progress more quickly and learn better habiys of you are skiin with an instructor for at least 4 days in a row. I know that might not be possible but I am just describing the ideal.

If you do end up with only the 2 sessions do not be tempted to get additional "coaching" from friends or family unless qualified. And ask your instructor which runs are suitable for you to practice on and stick to them. Skiing unsuitable terrain with the encouragement of "friends" is the leading cause of issues for beginners in my experience, and make it likely that you will start the next lesson over-coming those issues rather than progressing.
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
What was the original group lesson booking? 1/2 a day? all day?

Try to negotiate longer than 2hrs or an extra day?
Private lessons are 1:1 which means you go at your pace.
If you was in a group lesson & picked things up quickly, you would get bored waiting to learn something new.
However, 2x 2hr private lessons would be pretty pointless as you would learn more in a week long group class.
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
Stick to group lessons. Your instructor will manage the pace of your group and will spot bad habits during the course of the week. In my experience, private lessons are better when you want to quickly brush up on your technique and free up time to ski with your friends.
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Ah! Yes, I thought this might happen when you said on your earlier thread that you were the only one booked. I think a whole week of group lessons would be better, as you will find it difficult and perhaps demoralising spending time with the rest of your group, before you have mastered the basic skills. However, don't cancel before finding whether group lessons are available. And be very aware of where the lessons start, in relation to your accommodation.
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Agree with those saying that group lessons are preferable to private at that stage. Always good to have other beginners around you, it’s quite hard going early so having a few others of the same level around will help and push you on.
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Take the private lessons. I am afraid I disagree with most of the comments above, trying to get the parallel "locked in" is an ideal stage to have private lessons. In a 1:1 lesson the instructor should be able to quickly work out what you need to do to progress and find a strategy to help you do this. In a group lesson you will get less individual attention and so it is much easier to be reinforcing bad habits at times rather than locking in the correct movements.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
Well, the first question is can you actually get group lessons elsewhere. There aren't that many ski schools in any given station.

But yeah, if you can do group lessons but the private's will still do a job, will just be more intense and focused.
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From someone who works on the mountain and see the ski laessons daily. Take the private lessons. I would always recomend private lessons, even for a group of freinds, if you are different levels then individual lessons you just learn so much more.
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
As you can see, there are differing views....and there is no "Right" answer.

The problem with 2 Private Lessons, as a Beginner, is what you do for the rest of the week?

A half day Group Lesson every day, where you can practice during the other half - maybe with others from the lesson - makes a lot of sense.

Of course, if you can afford another 2 Private Lessons.....Happy Days. snowHead
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 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Obviously, if comparing like for like, private lessons are very good. But for the only beginner in a group of friends on holiday together, who might struggle to find a constructive and enjoyable way to spend the time NOT in lessons, groups have a role. There is usually someone from the group to ski with, and have a drink with, in the afternoon (or morning, if they are afternoon lessons).
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 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
As I understand it from another thread the OP is going with a boyfriend and skiing with him when not in lessons. I don't know how experienced he is or whether he's the sort of person to be patient and helpful to someone less experienced. If not it's probably going to end badly whatever.

With 2x2 hours private lessons if the OP takes to it a lot of progress can be made very quickly so by day 3 or 4 they may be able to happily cruise all day together.

Apologies if I've misconstrued anything.
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Layne wrote:
As I understand it from another thread the OP is going with a boyfriend and skiing with him when not in lessons. I don't know how experienced he is or whether he's the sort of person to be patient and helpful to someone less experienced. If not it's probably going to end badly whatever.

I think that's right.

In a Class situation, the Boyfriend has a half day skiing to himself and a half day skiing with the OP every day......I think this has a better chance of working, than skiing together for all but 4 hours. The temptation will be to take the OP on something "more fun".
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 Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Not convinced about private lessons, or is "coaching" a different discipline all together!
I knew some people who bragged continuously about their expensive coaching. Never ever saw any development or improvements in their skiing.
The service provider was one of the big players in Val d'isere!
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I have spent the last week almost exclusively with a mother and daughter who had booked group lessons. I started the week with these 2 and 5 Dutch people only one of whom was an absolute beginner, the others had been put with me because they hadn't used a button lift but had done some skiing. The ones that needed teaching how to use the lift were quickly taught and dispatched at lunch time. The remaining Dutch woman was only for one day as it was a quick weekend trip so that just left 2. Later that day the Crystal rep caught me to say she had another to start next day for 3 days between myself and the ski school we agreed to take him before lessons the next day to see if he could catch up privately. As it turned out he wasn't the best at learning and understand so he was given another couple of hours private which just left the 2 women in the group for 4 days. They hit lucky as they more or less got private lessons for group prices but there was never any suggestion that we would change what they had booked just because there were no other beginners this week. Last week the same group varied from 8 - 12 so as far as the ski school goes it is swings and roundabouts.
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Idris wrote:
From someone who works on the mountain and see the ski laessons daily. Take the private lessons. I would always recomend private lessons, even for a group of freinds, if you are different levels then individual lessons you just learn so much more.

Most of the time I would agree with what you’ve said. However, from my own memories from long ago of learning, and having had beginner skier friends come along with us in the past few years, I think that first full week on snow is good to do in a like minded group. Yes, it’s not as intense learning as a private session, but just having a structured 3 hours a day with like minded learners is a great way to build up confidence slowly and get better with your immediate peers. There’s plenty of time in the afternoons after class to ski with friends/partner.

I think group lessons lose their major benefit after week 1 or 2, at which point private lessons are IMO vital. But just for the first week they’re great to give a confidence boost by being around a few others of similar ability, and just feeling like you’re not holding somebody up is an enormous feeling. Being in groups give you that.
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Agree with most on groups being a better idea. Private 1v1 can be a bit intense and to get most bang for your buck you probably would want to spread them apart a bit to allow practice and consolidation. Problem being as a beginner you're unlikely to be able to do that practice on your own and all the usual concerns about being dragged places where survival is the only game once you get with others of your social group.
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
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Private lessons are great but I think 2 hours is not enough - the daughters used to do two half days in a week. They improved so much faster than when they were in group lessons. The key question however is, will you be happy to ski with your partner when you’re not in lessons (and will your partner be happy to ski with you)? I’d think about that and that might help with the decision.
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
I remember you were a tad worried about tour first trip. I don’t know who you booked in with but look at other companies. The ski instructors at VT will all really know the area and will be good at taking you around, I found ESF pretty solid tbh they speak good English and if you speak any French they are very happy.
Group is way better tbh, Shane they have cancelled on you.
Have an amazing time we all look forward to your trip report!! (And if you packed enough socks x)
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I would see if you can pay a bit more and see if you could extend to 2.5 or 3 hours and maybe try and get a third lesson.

I've never done ski school as private lessons were the only option when I learnt. I could only ski afternoons and group lessons were mornings only. My first week skiing I had 3 x 2.5 hour lessons and that was enough to get me comfortable on easier slopes. My only previous experience was a couple of 1 hour lessons on a dry slope a few weeks before. As people have said, during a private lesson, the focus is entirely on you and so the pace of learning can be much faster, especially if you are a quick learner. The amount of times I have seen groups stood on the side of a piste whilst I passed over on a lift multiple times.

After that first week, my subsequent holidays were booked with a couple more private lessons. Even now I still take the odd lesson to try and break any bad habits.

Good luck with whatever you decide.
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